Denis Lacelle
“Getting my Gold Seal Certification was something I wanted to do and it had been a long-term goal. It is an important credential. More and more I was seeing the Gold Seal Certification being asked as a qualification for job openings.”
Denis Lacelle, GSC, Independent Project Manager
His journey into the field of construction began when he was young. Denis grew up on a farm that was transformed into a golf course, which he also worked at as a teenager. After graduating from Seneca College, he moved up and became a Certified Class A Golf Course Superintendent.
He continued working as a Golf Course Superintendent for 15 years, during which, he maintained the golf properties, including the construction and renovations to structures and civil work throughout various properties. In 2000, Denis decided to make a change. He took the next step in his career by joining a construction contractor, and began his path to a successful career in Project Management, in construction.
17 years later, Denis is a successful Project Manager. He primarily works in the ICI sectors of construction. Daily, his job requires him to do a lot of planning, from establishing what work needs to be done, distribution of labour, issuing contracts, and much more. Despite the amount of planning, changes occur. However, that’s never stopped Denis from being accomplished in his role. With a cool and composed attitude, he is always ready to handle what comes his way.
Denis discovered the Gold Seal Certification while still employed as a Superintendent. However, once his employment transitioned into Project Management, his employer, and mentor at the time, encouraged him to pursue it. “My mentor said, ‘get the knowledge and experience to achieve Gold Seal Certification.’” Denis continued, “the Gold Seal Certification was not a short-term goal for me. When I found out it was something I could achieve, I knew I had a long way to go. I gained a lot of knowledge from my work place and the different projects I worked on. In 2014, I decided to take the Masters Certificate of Project Management at Carleton University through the Sprott School of Business.”
On January 20th, 2017, Denis got his Gold Seal Certification.
“Raising a young family and trying to find the time to do all of the education wasn’t easy. But, we’re in a business and industry that requires a lot of effort. Even if it might have gotten pushed aside at times, it was something that I never lost focus on wanting to achieve. Set your goals, keep heading towards it and never give up. You can always re-plan a strategy to get you where you want to be. I’m proof of that. It took me 17 years to get to where I am.”